Being at a nest when a familiar Osprey arrives home after its spring migration is always a very memorable moment, but it is even better when you know exactly what that bird has had to overcome in order to get there. At 2:10pm this afternoon 09 dropped onto his nest in Rutland, sixteen days after leaving his wintering site on the Senegal coast. After 3000 miles, which included an arduous nightime flight over the Atlantic, sandstorms in the Sahara and a flight in complete darkness across the mountains of central Spain, he had successfully completed his thirteenth spring migration. He is back on exactly the same date as last year having completed his migration in the same number of days as his autumn journey from Rutland to Senegal.

Although we know that 09 is home, his day’s satellite data has yet to come in, so we’ll post a full update on his flight from Winchester to Rutland and what happened once he was back at his nest, tomorrow. For the time being though, it is just great to know that he is home.

I never cease to be amazed by what these birds accomplish. Satellite tracking has brought an extra dimension this season enabling people like myself to share in the life of these magnificent creatures. I would like to say thank you to the osprey team for allowing me to ride the roller-coaster of these last 15 days through the bulletins and of course a huge thank you to the real star of the show, the indomitable, indefatigable 09.